Bonar earns 52nd Scotland cap after back surgery left her fearing career was over

Sarah Bonar marked her return to international rugby with a 52nd Scotland cap off the bench against New Zealand at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday, ending a year-long absence that included back surgery and serious doubts about whether her career could continue at the highest level.

The Black Ferns won the WXV Global Series fixture 66-14, but for Bonar the result was secondary to simply being back on the pitch in a Scotland shirt. The 32-year-old second-row had not featured for her country since the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against England in Bristol in September last year, a match that came just eight weeks after an operation on a broken foot — a rapid return that she believes placed excessive strain on her back.

“It’s been an absolute rollercoaster,” Bonar said. “For four years it has been a rollercoaster with various injuries let alone this one, but this one in particular has probably been the toughest and, at times, I didn’t know whether a return was possible or not.”

After the World Cup, Scotland’s medical staff initially attempted a conservative approach to managing the back problem, but when that failed to bring relief Bonar required surgery. Her only competitive minutes between the World Cup and Saturday came in 20 minutes off the bench for Harlequins at the end of last club season and a run-out for the Barbarians against Wales in June.

A mainstay of the Scotland squad since 2016, the former high-level rower from Aberdeen has dealt with a collarbone injury that ruled her out of the 2023 Women’s Six Nations, a shoulder problem that cut short her 2024 Six Nations campaign in its opening weekend, and the foot and back issues that followed. She credits the Scottish Rugby medical team — and the prospect of pulling on the dark blue jersey again — with keeping her motivated through the long rehabilitation.

“I think the thought of playing for Scotland again is probably the only thing that kept me going through the rehab at times,” she said. “It’s the moments that people don’t see that I missed the most: the changing room moments, the training sessions, just being in camp with the girls. Playing for Scotland means the world, it means everything to me.”

Bonar and Scotland now turn their attention to Australia at Hive Stadium on Saturday, with the fit-again second-row hoping to build on her comeback appearance and cement a regular place in the squad.